Forget Me Not {a book review}

Forget Me Not

by Vicki Hinze

Crossroads Crisis Center owner Benjamin Brandt was a content man—in his faith, his work, and his family. Then in a flash, everything he loved was snatched away. His wife and son were murdered, and grief-stricken Ben lost faith. Determination to find their killers keeps him going, but after three years of dead ends and torment, his hope is dying too. Why had he survived? He’d failed to protect his family.

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan. A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace.
 The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill. Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly. Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts


{my thoughts}

I love a good mystery. There's just something about a problem needing to be solved, all the clues coming together, finally reaching the end and figuring out whodunit...if it's a good mystery, I will probably enjoy reading it. Forget Me Not did not disappoint.

I was a little confused as I read the first chapter, since it doesn't really reveal anything about the woman who becomes the main character. It doesn't tell much about who she is, why the bad guys are after her, etc. But it works in well when she has amnesia and doesn't know, because you discover right along with her.

This book was a page-turner for me. I really wanted to read it as fast as I could, because I just had to find out how everything fit together. And I didn't feel lost by the end of the book; I knew what was happening.

So if you're on the lookout for some suspenseful reading, you might want to pick up Forget Me Not. It might be just what you were looking for! :)

{photo source}

This was book was provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

{an absence so great}

An Absence So Great

by Jane Kirkpatrick

While growing in confidence as a photographer, eighteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele’s personal life is at a crossroads. Hoping she’s put an unfortunate romantic longing behind her as “water under the bridge,” she exiles herself to Milwaukee to operate photographic studios for those owners who have fallen ill with mercury poisoning.

Jessie gains footing in her dream to one day operate her own studio and soon finds herself in other Midwest towns, pursuing her profession. But even a job she loves can’t keep painful memories from seeping into her heart when the shadows of a forbidden love threaten to darken the portrait of her life.

:: learn more ::

 

{my thoughts}

 

An Absence So Great was a very interesting read - the author uses stories from her own family to weave Jessie's tale. I found the details of photography before color film, digital cameras, Photoshop and the like to be fairly fascinating. The book even includes real photos and the "stories" behind them {I found myself hoping for the next photo to come along so I could see what it'd be about!}.

 

My only problem with this book is that it's actually the second, a follow up for A Flickering Light. Although I made it through the book and figured out the story, it would have been easier if I'd read the first book, well, first. Now I plan on reading A Flickering Light to catch anything I'd missed.

 

Overall a great book, but you might want to start at the beginning - I hear it's a very good place to start. :)

 

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

{Here Burns My Candle} + a giveaway!

A mother who cannot face her future.

A daughter who cannot escape her past.

{photo}

Here Burns My Candle

by Liz Curtis Higgs

Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. A Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage, she honors the auld ways, even as doubts and fears stir deep within her.

Her husband, Lord Donald, has secrets of his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips.

His mother, the dowager Lady Marjory, hides gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. Though her two abiding passions are maintaining her place in society and coddling her grown sons, Marjory’s many regrets, buried in Greyfriars Churchyard, continue to plague her.

One by one the Kerr family secrets begin to surface, even as bonny Prince Charlie and his rebel army ride into Edinburgh in September 1745, intent on capturing the crown.

A timeless story of love and betrayal, loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of eighteenth-century Scotland, Here Burns My Candle illumines the dark side of human nature, even as hope, the brightest of tapers, lights the way home.

{more information}

{my thoughts}

I thoroughly enjoyed Here Burns My Candle. And no, I'm not just saying that.

The words are beautifully written, aptly portraying the struggles of the characters. Set during the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite uprising, it speaks of the trial of choosing sides, sending loved ones to war, and being outcast by choices made. It tells of love and faithfulness in the face of hurt and disloyalty. It shows the sacrifices made to protect those you love. Though there is much sadness in the life of the Kerrs, there is also the glimmer of hope.

I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, or just appreciates a good story.

Would you like to read this book?

Leave a comment telling me why this story interests you, and you'll be entered to win a copy of Here Burns My Candle.

Extra entries if you are a follower of The Sweetest Petunia, or if you tweet/blog about the giveaway!

{leave seperate comments for each entry}

I will randomly choose a winner and announce it next Tuesday morning. Please leave your email address so I can contact you!

{US only, please}

Two copies of this book were provided for review + giveaway by WaterBrook Multnomah.

{fantasy reads}

Do you enjoy reading fiction that features an epic story of a hero’s journey? {I know I do!} Then you will probably enjoy both of these fantasy fiction titles:

{source}

Raven's Ladder

by Jeffrey Overstreet

Following the beacon of Auralia’s colors and the footsteps of a mysterious dream-creature, King Cal-raven has discovered a destination for his weary crowd of refugees. It’s a city only imagined in legendary tales. And it gives him hope to establish New Abascar.

But when Cal-raven is waylaid by fortune hunters, his people become vulnerable to a danger more powerful than the prowling beastmen––House Bel Amica. In this oceanside kingdom of wealth, enchantment, and beauty, deceitful Seers are all too eager to ensnare House Abascar’s wandering throng.

Even worse, the Bel Amicans have discovered Auralia’s colors, and are twisting a language of faith into a lie of corruption and control.

If there is any hope for the people of Abascar, it lies in the courage of Cyndere, daughter of Bel Amica’s queen; the strength of Jordam the beastman; and the fiery gifts of the ale boy, who is devising a rescue for prisoners of the savage Cent Regus beastmen.

As his faith suffers one devastating blow after another, Cal-raven’s journey is a perilous climb from despair to a faint gleam of hope––the vision he sees in Auralia’s colors.
learn more...

 

{my thoughts}

This book is the third in a series that begins with Auralia's Colors and continues with Cyndere's Midnight. That being said, I can definitely see the value of starting at the beginning of the series. I enjoyed Raven's Ladder, in a way, but I did find it a little confusing - it would have been an easier read if I had know the background of the story.

 

Even though I found myself a tad lost sometimes, I really enjoyed Jeffrey Overstreet's style of writing. He's very descriptive {you can easily imagine things being described}, and I found his words beautiful to read. I've already placed requests for Auralia's Colors and Cyndere's Midnight at my library, so I can fully understand the plot.

 

{source}

Lady Carliss and the Waters of Moorue
by Chuck Black
Determined, smart and a master of both the sword and the bow, Lady Carliss has proven herself as a veteran Knight of the Prince. Returning from a mission of aid, Carliss is plunged into adventure once again as she searches for the marauders responsible for kidnapping a friends’ family. Along the way she is reunited with Sir Dalton and discovers that the struggle in her heart is far from over. When Dalton falls to the vicious attack of a mysterious, poisonous creature, Carliss finds herself in a race against time. As Dalton clings perilously to life, she must find the antidote in the distant and strange city of Moorue.


While there, Carliss uncovers the master plot of a powerful Shadow Warrior that will soon overtake the entire Kingdom. Her faith in the Prince and her courage as a knight are tested as she faces evil Shadow Warriors and a swamp full of dreadful creatures. The lives of many, including Dalton’s, depend on Carliss. But she cannot save them all, for time is running out. She faces an impossible choice: save Dalton, or let him die so that others may live.
learn more...

{my thoughts}
I really enjoyed this book. This is not my first encounter with Chuck Black's books; my sisters and I really enjoyed his first series, The Kingdom Series. So I was excited to read his latest writings, and was not disappointed!

Lady Carliss is actually the fourth in the Knights of Arrethtrae series, but I didn't find it confusing to start there. I think these stories are a bit more freestanding, though probably more enjoyed with all of it's companions. This is considered a youth/teen fiction book, so you might enjoy reading it to your older children. I know I enjoyed reading it by myself!

This book is fast-paced (not in a bad way) and entertaining, but it also teaches valuable lessons about serving the King. The characters struggle and fight through their problems, but ultimately depend on the King to help them. The book is also not too long or drawn out - I finished reading it fairly quickly. Altogether, I think it a good read with benefits of learning.

So tell me, how do you feel about fantasy titles? Are these books you'd be interested in?

 

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

{value fiction}

I love to fill my shelves with new books. There's just something about fresh pages that draw me in. Of course, my single bookshelf is about bursting at the seams...but that doesn't stop me. Books can also be expensive, so here's a little information about some {value fiction}.

{from Waterbrook Multnomah}

Value Fiction For Your Spring Break

Fiction lovers don’t need to budget to travel this spring break with Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group’s six full-length novels by beloved Christian authors (WaterBrook, February 16, 2010). At the low cost of only $5.99, these well-read “get-aways” provide quality entertainment at a price that any reader can afford.


Full-length novels offered include:


Secrets
by Robin Jones Gunn - Jessica has moved to a new town to start a new life. But a friendly fire-fighter and a suspicious boss both want to know what she’s hiding.


Beneath a Southern Sky
by Deborah Raney – Daria Camfield is expecting her first child when her husband Nate is reported dead on the mission field. Devastated, she returns to the States and soon marries again. But two years later Nate is found alive in the jungle. How can Daria possibly choose between he two men who love her?


The Golden Cross
by Angela Elwell Hunt – Aidan O’Connor may be a poor barmaid but she’s also a gifted artists. When a famous cartographer takes her on as a student, Aidan is swept into an adventure that will bring her back to her heavenly Father, and into marriage with the love of her life.


Deep Harbor
by Lisa Tawn Bergren – Tora, Elsa, Kaatje, and Karl face trouble, tragedy, and treachery across the Wast, Hawaii, Japan, and the high seas. These four immigrants from Bergen, Norway, each grow closer to God and learn afresh the value of faith, family, and coming alongside each other in times of need.


Faithful Heart
by Al and Joanna Lacy – The adventures of certified medical nurse and dedicated Christian Breanna Baylor continue as she travels by wagon train to visit her sister, Dottie, in California. Little does she know that her most dangerous encounter might be with Jerrod, her brother-in-law, who’s suffering from dementia caused by combat fatigue.


Yesterday’s Promise
by Linda Lee Chaikin – Rogan Chantry faces danger from tribesmen, ruthless politicians, and his own family as he searches for gold in South Africa. In England, his beloved Evy is injured by a mysterious assailant. The greed and intrigue surrounding the diamond mines could very well drive them irrevocably apart.

You can find these books on Waterbrook Multnomah's site under New Releases.

*****

I received 2 of these titles to review. Here are my thoughts:

Yesterday's Promise

by Linda Lee Chaikin

When I got this book, I read the back thoroughly and saw that it was included in the Historical Fiction/Romance genre - right up my alley! There's also a touch of mystery and intrigue, so even better. Yesterday's Promise was a good read, the 2nd in a series. Fortunately, I wasn't lost in the plot, even though it's not the first book. I enjoyed following Rogan and Evy's story, from South Africa to England and back again. And as soon as I finished it, I was hoping for the 1st and 3rd books to drop into my lap so I could finish their story! This is one I'd slip into my shelf, and probably read again.

Faithful Heart

by Al Lacy

This book is also the 2nd in a series, but the author included a prologue which reviews anything missed. But this book was a little harder for me to get into. The writing style is different then I'm used to, and not necessarily a style I enjoyed. To me it seemed...manly? Of course, the author is a man. :)

The story wasn't bad. I appreciated the faithful heart, even in trying circumstances. Often it's easier not to have a faithful heart. And of course, there was a happy ending, though touched with a bit of sadness. I would place this book on my shelf, but I'm not sure I would read it again. Purely my own opinion, of course.

*****

Have you added anything to your reading list? Personally, I'd like to read Beneath a Southern Sky and The Golden Cross. Let me know which titles interest you!

If you would like to be involved in the Blogging for Books program, you can find more informaton right here.

**I received review copies of these books from Waterbrook Multnomah. The opinions are my own.**